Vacuum brush having retractable bristles

ABSTRACT

A brush that may be used as a vacuum brush in a vacuum cleaner may comprise a housing having a plurality of openings, a plurality of bristles, and a mechanism that is moveable to a first position and a second position for controlling the plurality of bristles. If the mechanism is moved to the first position, the plurality of bristles may extend out of the housing through the plurality of openings on the housing. If the mechanism is moved to the second position, at least a portion of the plurality of bristles may retract into the housing.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. provisional patent application No. 61/290,605 filed Dec. 29, 2009, and incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to brushes, and more particularly relates to a vacuum brush having retractable bristles.

During the course of vacuuming, a vacuum may be used to clean various flooring surfaces, such as hardwood floors, tiles, or carpets, by sweeping, sucking up, and collecting debris such as dirt and hair from the flooring surfaces.

To loosen up debris from the flooring surfaces, vacuums may typically employ a vacuum brush that may rotate to contact and sweep or otherwise loosen debris from the flooring surfaces into a vacuum bag within the vacuum. Because the vacuum brush will come in contact with the debris, inevitably some of the debris will become stuck or caught onto the vacuum brush instead of being sucked into the vacuum cleaner. For example, hair may get tangled up with bristles on the vacuum brush, and such hair may be difficult and cumbersome to remove from the vacuum brush.

As can be seen, there is a need for easier ways to remove debris tangled with bristles on the vacuum brush.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, a brush comprises a housing having a plurality of openings; a plurality of bristles; and a mechanism that is moveable to a first position and a second position for controlling the plurality of bristles; wherein the plurality of bristles extends out of the housing through the plurality of openings on the housing if the mechanism is moved the first position; and wherein at least a portion of the plurality of bristles retracts into the housing if the mechanism is moved to the second position.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a vacuum brush in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows an exploded perspective view of the vacuum brush of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 shows a section view of the vacuum brush of FIG. 1 taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 shows a section view of the vacuum brush of FIG. 1 with retracted bristles taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows an exploded perspective view of a vacuum brush in accordance with an alternate embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 shows a section view of the vacuum brush of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 shows a section view of the vacuum brush of FIG. 5 with retracted bristles;

FIGS. 8A and 8B show a section view of a vacuum brush in accordance with another alternate embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 9A and 9B show a section view of a vacuum brush in accordance with another alternate embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 10A and 10B show a section view of a vacuum brush in accordance with another alternate embodiment of the present invention; and

FIGS. 11A and 11B show a section view of a vacuum brush in accordance with another alternate embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Various inventive features are described below that can each be used independently of one another or in combination with other features.

Broadly, embodiments of the present invention generally provide a vacuum brush having retractable bristles. By being able to retract its bristles as needed, debris such as hair may be easily untangled from the bristles by simply retracting the bristles and removing any hairs from the vacuum brush.

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, an exemplary vacuum brush 10 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention may include a housing 12 having bristles 16 that may extend out of the housing 12 through openings 24 on the housing 12. In an exemplary embodiment, the housing 12 may be a cylindrical tube having the openings 24 situated on its circumference and running along its length.

The vacuum brush 10 may also include an inner bristle rod 14 that the bristles 16 may be attached to. The inner bristle rod 14 may be received into the interior of the housing 12 so that the bristles 16, when fully extended, may extend from the inner bristle rod 14 and through the openings 24 on the housing.

The inner bristle rod 14 may also include an end cap 18 at one end that may be operably coupled to and cap an end of the housing 12. The end cap 18 may include a locating tab 20 that fits into a locating notch 22 on the end of the housing 12. By rotating the end cap 18, the locating tab 20 may be moved from a first end of the locating notch 22 to a second end of the locating notch 22, thereby rotating the inner bristle rod 14 and the bristles 16 attached to the inner bristle rod 14.

With reference to FIG. 3, when the locating tab 20 is moved to the first end of the locating notch 22, the inner bristle rod 14 may be rotated in a first direction so that the bristles 16 may be situated directly under the openings 24 of the housing 12, thereby allowing the bristles 16 to extend through the openings 24 and out from the housing 12.

With reference to FIG. 4, however, when the locating tab 20 is moved to the second end of the locating notch 22, the inner bristle rod 14 may be rotated in a second direction opposite the first direction so that at least a portion of the bristles 16 may be situated underneath the walls of the housing 12, thereby retracting at least a portion of the bristles 16 within the housing 12. Thus, the end cap 18 and the locating tab 20 may act as the mechanism that is moveable to a first position and to a second position for controlling the bristles 16.

With reference to FIG. 5, another exemplary vacuum brush 100 may include a threaded housing 28 having a threaded end 30 that may mate with a threaded end cap 26 of an inner bristle rod 14. For example, the threaded end 30 may include internal threads while the threaded end cap 26 may include external treads that may fit to the internal threads of the threaded end 30.

Bristles 16 may be attached to the inner bristle rod 14 and may be controlled by rotating the threaded end cap 26 to extend or retract the bristles 16. With reference to FIG. 6, when the threaded end cap 26 is rotated to a first position, the inner bristle rod 14 may be rotated so that the bristles 16 may be situated directly under the openings 24 of the threaded housing 28, thereby allowing the bristles 16 to extend through the openings 24 and out from the threaded housing 28.

With reference to FIG. 7, alternatively, when the threaded end cap 26 is rotated in the opposite direction to a second position, the inner bristle rod 14 may be rotated in a second direction opposite the first direction so that the bristles 16 may be situated underneath the walls of the threaded housing 28, thereby fully retracting the bristles 16 within the threaded housing 28. Thus, the threaded end cap 26 may act as the mechanism that is moveable to a first position and to a second position for controlling the bristles 16.

With reference to FIGS. 8A and 8B, an exemplary vacuum brush 800 in accordance with another alternate embodiment of the present invention may include a housing 12 having bristles 16 that may extend out of the housing 12 through openings 24 on the housing 12. In an exemplary embodiment, the housing 12 may be a cylindrical tube having the openings 24 situated on its circumference and running along its length.

The vacuum brush 800 may also include a slidable inner rod 814 that the bristles 16 may be attached to. The slidable inner bristle rod 814 may be received into the interior of the housing 12 so that the bristles 16, when fully extended, may extend from the slidable inner bristle rod 814 and through the openings 24 on the housing. The slidable inner bristle rod 814 may act as the mechanism that is moveable to a first position and to a second position for controlling the bristles 16 by sliding into and out of the housing 12.

With reference to FIGS. 9A and 9B, an exemplary vacuum brush 900 in accordance with another alternate embodiment of the present invention may include a housing 12 having bristles 16 that may extend out of the housing 12 through openings 24 on the housing 12. In an exemplary embodiment, the housing 12 may be a cylindrical tube having the openings 24 situated on its circumference and running along its length.

The vacuum brush 900 may also include an expandable inner unit 914 that the bristles 16 may be attached to. The expandable inner unit 914 may comprise two third-class levers 914A connected at a fixed end and may receive a rod 194B or pin into the opening between the two third-class levers 914A. The expandable inner unit 914 may be received into the interior of the housing 12 so that the bristles 16, when fully extended, may extend from the expandable inner unit 914 and through the openings 24 on the housing 12.

The expandable inner unit 914 may act as the mechanism that is moveable to a first position and to a second position for controlling the bristles 16. The bristles 16 may be extended through the openings 24 by inserting the rod 194B into the opening between the two third-class levers 914A to expand the expandable inner unit 914, and the bristles 16 may be retracted by removing the rod 194B from the opening between the two third-class levers 914A.

With reference to FIGS. 10A and 10B, an exemplary vacuum brush 1000 in accordance with another alternate embodiment of the present invention may include a housing 12 having bristles 16 that may extend out of the housing 12 through openings 24 on the housing 12. In an exemplary embodiment, the housing 12 may be a cylindrical tube having the openings 24 situated on its circumference and running along its length.

The vacuum brush 1000 may also include a pinchable inner mechanism 1014 including one or more lengths of material 1014A connected by one or more springs 1014B that the bristles 16 may be attached to. The pinchable inner mechanism rod 1014 may be received into the interior of the housing 12 so that the bristles 16, when fully extended, may extend from the pinchable inner mechanism 1014 and through the openings 24 on the housing 12.

The pinchable inner mechanism 1014 may act as the mechanism that is moveable to a first position and to a second position for controlling the bristles 16 by compressing the pinchable inner mechanism 1014 by pinching or squeezing the pinchable inner mechanism 1014 to retract the bristles 16 and by releasing any compressing pressure or force from the pinchable inner mechanism 1014 to extend the bristles 16 through the openings 24 on the housing 12.

With reference to FIGS. 11A and 11B, an exemplary vacuum brush 1100 in accordance with another alternate embodiment of the present invention may include a housing 12 having bristles 16 that may extend out of the housing 12 through openings 24 on the housing 12. In an exemplary embodiment, the housing 12 may be a cylindrical tube having the openings 24 situated on its circumference and running along its length.

The vacuum brush 1100 may also include a collapsible inner mechanism 1114 including one or more lengths of material 1114A connected by one or more collapsible joints 1114B that the bristles 16 may be attached to. The collapsible inner mechanism 1114 may be received into the interior of the housing 12 so that the bristles 16, when fully extended, may extend from the collapsible inner mechanism 1114 and through the openings 24 on the housing 12.

The collapsible inner mechanism 1114 may act as the mechanism that is moveable to a first position and to a second position for controlling the bristles 16 by causing the collapsible joints 1114B to collapse to retract the bristles 16 and by re-extending the collapsible joints 1114B to extend the bristles 16 through the openings 24 on the housing 12.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. 

1. A brush comprising: a housing having a plurality of openings; a plurality of bristles; and a mechanism that is moveable to a first position and a second position for controlling the plurality of bristles; wherein the plurality of bristles extends out of the housing through the plurality of openings on the housing if the mechanism is moved the first position; and wherein at least a portion of the plurality of bristles retracts into the housing if the mechanism is moved to the second position.
 2. The brush of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a cylindrical tube.
 3. The brush of claim 2, wherein the plurality openings are situated along a circumference of the cylindrical tube.
 4. The brush of claim 3 further comprising an inner bristle rod, wherein the plurality of bristles are attached to the inner bristle rod.
 5. The brush of claim 4, wherein the housing is operable to receive the inner bristle rod.
 6. The brush of claim 5, wherein: the housing comprises a locating notch; and the inner bristle rod comprises an end cap having a locating tab.
 7. The brush of claim 6, wherein: the mechanism comprises the locating tab; and the locating tab is moveable within the locating notch of the housing to the first position and to the second position to retract and extend the plurality of bristles if the housing is operably coupled to the end cap.
 8. The brush of claim 5, wherein: the housing comprises a threaded portion; the inner bristle rod comprises a threaded end cap that is connectable with the threaded portion of the housing.
 9. The brush of claim 8, wherein: the mechanism comprises the threaded end cap; and the threaded end cap is rotatable to the first position and to the second position to retract and extend the plurality of bristles if the threaded end cap is connected with the threaded portion of the housing.
 10. The brush of claim 5, wherein: the inner bristle rod rotates in a first direction if the mechanism is moved to the first position; and the inner bristle rod rotates in a second direction that is opposite of the first direction if the mechanism is moved to the second position.
 11. The brush of claim 1, wherein: the mechanism comprises a slidable inner rod connected to the plurality of bristles; the housing is operable to receive the slidable inner rod; the slidable inner rod is slidable into the housing to extend the plurality of bristles out of the housing; and the slidable inner rod is slidable out of the housing to retract the plurality of bristles into the housing.
 12. The brush of claim 1, wherein: the mechanism comprises an expandable inner unit connected to the plurality of bristles, the expandable inner unit including a pair of third-class levers connected at a fixed end and a rod insertable between the pair of third class levers; the housing is operable to receive the expandable inner unit; the expandable inner unit is operable to extend the plurality of bristles out of the housing if the rod is situated between the pair of third-class levers; and the expandable inner unit is operable to retract the plurality of bristles into the housing if the rod is not situated between the pair of third-class levers.
 13. The brush of claim 1, wherein: the mechanism comprises a pinchable inner unit connected to the plurality of bristles, the pinchable inner unit including one or more lengths of material connected by one or more springs; the housing is operable to receive the pinchable inner unit; the expandable inner unit is operable to retract the plurality of bristles into the housing if the one or more springs are compressed; and the pinchable inner unit is operable to extend the plurality of bristles out of the housing if the one or more springs are uncompressed.
 14. The brush of claim 1, wherein: the mechanism comprises a collapsible inner unit connected to the plurality of bristles, the collapsible inner unit including one or more lengths of material connected by one or more collapsible joints; the housing is operable to receive the collapsible inner unit; the collapsible inner unit is operable to extend the plurality of bristles out of the housing if the one or more collapsible joints are uncollapsed; and the collapsible inner unit is operable to retract the plurality of bristles into the housing if the one or more collapsible joints are collapsed. 